Winter Smoothie: 3 Recipes to Boost Your Winter Veggie Intake
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During the cold winter months, researchers have found that Americans eat fewer fruits and vegetables. Yet a high intake of plant-based foods is directly linked to a stronger immune system and improved wellness and vitality. The following recipes for each delicious, easy smoothie is a great way to effortlessly sneak more veggies and fruit into your winter diet. Best of all, each of these smoothies contain a few ingredients that are actually in-season and fresh in the winter months – better for your health, and better for the environment!
1. Tangy Ginger-Carrot Smoothie
This hydrating smoothie gets its bright hues from carrots, which are at their peak during the months of January and February. Carrots are one of the best sources of beta carotene, which helps neutralize the free radicals that stress your immune system. Meanwhile, the ginger and turmeric provide anti-inflammatory benefits while warming your body from the inside out (perfect for a cold day!). Finally, pineapples and bananas add more immunity-enhancing antioxidants while sweetening these smoothies with a taste of the tropics.
2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and diced
1 frozen banana
1 cup frozen diced pineapple
1/4-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup dairy or plant-based milk
3-4 ice cubes
Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
2. Apple Beet Smoothie
Both apples and beets are often picked and harvested in the winter. Beets are packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, with exceptionally high levels of immune system-boosting nutrients like vitamin C and potassium. The ginger helps support a strong metabolism, the apples boost your fiber intake, and the carrots give you several days’ worth of vitamin A.
1 red beet, peeled and diced
1 apple, cored and chopped
2 carrots, diced
1 orange, peeled
2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled
1 cup ice cubes
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
3. Creamy Sweet Potato Smoothie
This may sound unconventional, but using a winter vegetable like sweet potato in your smoothies is actually a genius idea. It creates a very rich, creamy texture for your smoothie, plus a lot of natural sweetness that adds another layer of honeyed flavor that works well with the fruits in this shake. Even better, just a 1-cup serving of sweet potato provides a significant amount of vitamin C, manganese, vitamin B6, potassium, pantothenic acid, copper, and niacin. Your body will thank you!
1 cup cooked sweet potato, frozen (cook and freeze ahead of time, or buy pre-cooked frozen sweet potato chunks at the grocery store)
1 cup dairy or plant-based milk
2 Medjool dates, pits removed
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!